Such a method is known from, for instance, public use. Usually, currently existing FPSO's and FSO's comprise a vessel with a hull that is specifically built for a single application, i.e. for having a single type of anchor line and riser arrangement. Such a hull can be a purpose-built ‘new-built’ hull or a second-hand hull that has previously been used for example with an oil tanker.
However, constructing an FPSO or FSO based on such a new-built hull or based on a vessel with a second-hand hull requires a relatively long construction period in a shipyard to obtain an FPSO or FSO with the desired functionality and characteristics, depending on the state of the second-hand hull and the amount of work to be done. Converting a second-hand hull into an FPSO or FSO requires massive and time-consuming structural works within the hull to achieve refurbishment and conversion. Refurbishment of the existing arrangements of the second-hand hull is needed to ensure that the 20 to 30 years' service life of the hull as an FPSO or FSO is guaranteed. Conversion of the hull adds arrangements to make the hull ready for use as an FPSO or FSO. The refurbishment and conversion of the hull occurs often in parallel and the whole operation requires often several dry-docking stops, which can be separated in time.
Since demand for FPSO's and FSO's is ever-increasing and pressure for even shorter construction and delivery times is mounting, the time between purchase order and delivery needs to be reduced. Also the time a hull stays in a dry-dock should be reduced, as the time at the above dry dock is relatively expensive and the slot for performing the refurbishment and conversion work or for building a new hull should be booked well in advance.
Attempts have been made by the present applicant to design and construct a generic, new-built hull that will reduce the time required for construction at the dry dock. Such a generic hull was disclosed at the 2003 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Tex. (USA), and in particular in the paper proposed for presentation at the above conference, prepared (among others) by the present applicant. At the time, the idea behind such a generic hull was that the generic hull could be constructed based on a standard tanker conversion, having a standard mooring system and provided with standard process modules.
However, approximately ten years have gone by and the generic hull disclosed during the conference and in the aforementioned paper appears to have done very little, unfortunately, to reduce the time between purchase order and delivery.
Therefore, the need to provide a method for producing a vessel hull for use as a hull of a floating hydrocarbon storage and/or processing plant (FSO, FPSO), wherein the time between purchase order and delivery is reduced, still exists.
An object of the present invention is thus to provide a method for producing a vessel hull for use as a hull of a floating hydrocarbon storage and or processing plant (FSO, FPSO), wherein the time between purchase order and delivery is reduced.